By Nasratu Kargbo
Following the absence of most of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies during the first allotted day for the debate of the bill entitled the Appropriation Act 2024, the Speaker of Parliament Chernor Abass Bundu said that he will ensure that the budget for MDAs that are absent for the remaining four allotted days for the debate be withheld.
Bundu made the statement on the 21st of November 2023 during the debate in parliament. “I will most definitely not hesitate to order that the absentee MDAs have their budget withheld by this house and they cannot spend a single cent without the authorization of this house”.
He said it is their duty to listen to what MPs have to say about the budget, noting that with them being absent, it would seem as though the MPs are talking to themselves.
Addressing the Acting Leader of Government Business Bashiru Silikie, the Speaker said “Acting Leader of Government Business you are hereby directed to ensure that all MDAs are adequately represented at the right level when we start business tomorrow”.
The Deputy Leader whilst responding said, “Starting tomorrow we want to see persons not less than the positions of a Deputy Director or a Deputy Permanent secretary”. He stated that MPs should pay special attention to MDAs that aren’t represented.
The Leader stressed that if the MDAs are not represented, it means they do not take parliament and Sierra Leoneans seriously. He therefore advised all committee chairpersons and members of the committee of supply to make sure that the budgets of MDAs that do not present themselves today and the remaining three days allotted for debate should be critically looked at and recommend to the house that their budget be starched if not with-held.
A few MDAs were represented yesterday; amongst them were the Ministry of Finance, Agriculture and Food Security, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), and Guma Valley Water Company.
The Appropriation Act 2024 is an Act to authorize expenditure from the consolidated fund for the services of Sierra Leone for the year 2024 and for other related matters.
The debate is set to end on Monday 27th November 2023.
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